Rita
Rita is one of Fagin's dogs in Disney's Oliver & Company. She was voiced by Sheryl Lee Ralph. Ruth Pointer provided her singing voice during the song, "Streets of Gold." Description Rita is a slender tan Saluki with both brown hair and ears, black nose, and blue eyelids. She is the only member of Fagin's dog gang who is a female. Rita acts like a mother figure to Oliver sometimes as proven at some points when she takes care of him, teaches him while singing "Streets of Gold" as a way of educating him about the rough and tough streets of New York and about "how the best survive by keeping their dreams alive," protects him from danger, and happily says good-bye to him at the end. Of all the dogs in the gang, she appears to be the only one convinced that Oliver is happy in his new home after being adopted by a wealthy little girl named Jenny Foxworth. It is also revealed that she has a crush on Dodger when she calls him "Dodgie baby" while asking him how he got the sausages for their dinner, compliments him when he is wearing his sunglasses as he watches a Baseball game on T.V., shows a sign of disgust when Roscoe tries flirting with her, and shows Dodger how worried she is when she notices him limping a little after his last encounter with Roscoe and DeSoto. However, sometimes, she can show a minor sign of jealousy especially when it comes to Dodger and other female dogs as shown when she pulls him away from some female dogs he and Tito were checking out during the reprise of "Why Should I Worry." She is shown to be kind, caring, funny, tough, proud, compassionate, and protective. Appearances ''Oliver & Company In Fagin's barge, Rita and Einstein are sleeping while Francis is watching T.V. and Tito is dancing and listening to his Latin music. Later, Rita is awakened by Francis and Tito's argument. She tells them to stop arguing and then, checks out the "loot;" she and her friends brought for their owner, Fagin, saying he's not gonna be too happy about it. When Rita asks Francis if he got the food today, she and the rest of the dog-gang are upset by the fact that he forgot since it was his turn today. Luckily, their leader and Rita's love interest, Dodger arrives on time and introduces Rita and his friends to their dinner: hot dogs. When Rita and the gang ask Dodger about how he got those sausages, he tells them every event that occurred to him today. As soon as Dodger mentions his "monster" (Oliver) in the story, Rita and everyone else become a bit scared and even more spooked when the "monster" suddenly falls and crashes into their home. Rita runs and hides in fear in a corner. At first, they don't know what it is even when Rita asks Francis the question. Tito thinks it's an "alien" when a mysterious paw, coming out of the cloth, grabs and scratches him on the nose but then when the result is out, it turns out to be Oliver; referred as a cat by Rita after seeing the result clearly and telling everyone to calm down and what it is. The gang (except Dodger) surround Oliver and ask him questions about how and why he came to their place. Oliver says he followed Dodger. Rita silences Tito with a kick when he continuously repeats that Oliver is "lying" countless times and Francis asks: "Why would a cat follow a dog?" to which Einstein replies: "Yeah?". Later, Oliver reveals to them the truth about his involvement with Dodger's hot dog scheme, which later makes Dodger admit to his friends that Oliver did indeed assist him in stealing the sausages and he begins to develop respect for the kitten, as does the rest of the gang after that. Then, the gang except Rita start mocking Dodger about his "monster" story while Dodger is watching, with his sunglasses on, the baseball game but then, a dogpile fight ensues, to which Einstein joins in enthusiastically when Dodger jumps on Tito since he won't stop mocking him and Francis inadvertently joins in, which somewhat frightens Oliver a bit and makes him hide inside the "loot" box. At first, however, Rita is reluctant to join the fight; stating they are a "bunch of overgrown...", but before finishing, she is interrupted when Tito accidentally bonks her on her head and decides to join in as well. Later, a voice is heard; revealed to be Fagin, the dogs' owner. Fagin comes in, tells his dogs to stop, and receives an unexpected warm welcome home from them despite Fagin's protests. The dogs also notice the dog biscuits Fagin bought them. However, when a honking noise is heard outside, Fagin knows it means his evil boss, Mr. Sykes, whom he owes money to, is here. Fagin is disappointed by the "loot" his dogs brought for him to pay back Sykes and he discovers Oliver but before he can examine him, Sykes' two Dobermans, Roscoe and DeSoto, come in and shoo him out to talk with their master while they taunt his dogs as Oliver hides from them. While Fagin is out talking to Sykes, Roscoe taunts Dodger and the gang while DeSoto sniffs around the place. Roscoe flirts with a disgruntled Rita but, Francis insults him and Tito high-fives him to congratulate and encourage him but finds himself confronted by the angry Doberman. Tito gets angry and tries to fight Roscoe, not before being held back by Einstein. Then, Einstein insults Roscoe until he is now confronted by the angry Doberman. As Dodger tries to calm Roscoe down, he smashes the T.V., says he finds it funny, and laughs in a sinister way as a reply. When Oliver is unfortunately discovered by DeSoto and DeSoto, in return for trying to eat Oliver, has his nose scratched by Oliver, Roscoe and DeSoto attempt to attack Oliver, not before Dodger intervenes and protects him. Then, the rest of the gang join in to protect their new cat friend from the two evil dogs; making the them hesitate when they realize they are outnumbered. As they leave when their master calls for them again, Roscoe swears retaliation on Dodger and the gang and tells them they are going to pay for what they have done; starting with Oliver. Then, Fagin walks in all wet (after falling off the pier) and sad since he was given only three days by Sykes to pay him back or else who knows what might happen to him, his home, and his dogs. The dogs do everything they can to cheer him up. Fagin is rejoiced and thanks them. When it's time for bed, Einstein insists Fagin reads them a bedtime story. At first, Fagin is reluctant since he is too tired, but when he hears and sees Einstein whining sadly, Fagin accepts "but just 1 chapter tonight." Rita goes to her bed as Fagin reads them the story. Later, Rita sleeps in her bed until she is awakened when she hears and sees Oliver rushing over to Dodger in order to sleep with him. At first, Dodger can't understand but after watching Rita, who is only half asleep and who witnessed Oliver rushing over to him, and Oliver smile, he quickly understands that the kitten loves him then, falls asleep with a smile on his face; so does Rita. The next day, the gang are riding in Fagin's scooter. Then, they're told to get out on the street to search for food while Fagin searches for a way to earn or even steal money. Dodger intends to help Fagin with his financial problem; starting on Columbus Avenue, which Oliver agrees to do as well. Then, Rita gives Oliver an education while singing "Streets of Gold", about the rough, tough streets of New York and about "how the best survive by keeping their dreams alive." During and after the song, Dodger and the gang save Oliver again when a vicious alley dog chases him. Oliver even tries to "bark" like a dog to shoo the alley dog away and the gang finds it amusing a bit. When Dodger notices a beige limousine, he comes up with a plan on how to steal its radio and give it to Fagin to exchange it for some money as partial payment to his debt with his evil boss. Later on, as part of Dodger's plan, after Einstein stops the limousine by intentionally running into it head-first and Francis plays the part of the dog hit in order to distract Winston, the driver while Oliver and Tito mostly handle the theft, Rita and Dodger attract a crowd to the scene. When the plan backfires, Tito flies out of the car and Rita and rest of the gang run off to hide in a corner as the car drives away with Oliver still inside. Rita and the gang get back to Fagin while Dodger and Tito follow the car where Oliver was taken in. A few moments later, Dodger and Tito return to Fagin and the gang to inform them about everything; thinking their friend is in trouble in a "torture place" when actually he has been adopted by a young girl named Jenny Foxworth, who found him in the car, and taken to her upscale house. When a decision is to be made about whether to help Fagin or Oliver, it results with Francis speaking Old English, which annoys Tito, resulting with Francis losing his temper while repeating his real name three times after having been called "Frankie" "again", which he dislikes. Luckily, Dodger intervenes and breaks up their argument, though Tito gets one last raspberry at Francis in before Dodger turns to glare at him, forcing Tito to quickly turn his head away and play innocent to avoid a reprimand from Dodger. Dodger suggests they "rescue" their friend first and then take care of Fagin, which the gang agrees to. Then, he forms a "rescue plan" with the gang. Dodger leads the "rescue" mission to recover Oliver the next day while Jenny is at school. The gang notice Winston, the driver and Jenny's family butler, banging on something with a rolling pan, thinking he's "torturing" Oliver. After Einstein and Francis distract Winston, the rest of the gang are inside; leaving Winston outside. In the house, the gang's admiring the place more than focusing on their friend. Even Rita points out that it doesn't look too bad. Luckily, Dodger helps them snap out of it right away. Later, Dodger enters Georgette's (the Foxworth family's spoiled pedigree poodle dog show queen) room. Georgette panics and calls for Winston countless times; thinking that he's after her. When Dodger assures her that he isn't, Georgette feels insulted, thus, giving him an uninteresting education about herself. Then, the rest of the gang enter her room. Rita notices a picture of a handsome Doberman ex-boyfriend of Georgette named Rex and asks Georgette who he is and she replies: "None of your business!" while the rest of the gang start causing a mess, with Francis lying on her bed and eating her chocolates and Einstein sniffing her powder and sneezing. This causes Georgette to call Winston again, who managed to sneak back in the house through the window. When Dodger mentions that they'll leave as soon as they get their cat back, Georgette becomes more cooperative. Before cooperating with the "rescue," Winston checks to see if Georgette is alright. Einstein and Francis hide under Georgette's bed cover with half of Georgette's body sticking out, Dodger and Rita pose as dog statue replicas, and Tito hangs on a coat hanger of the door. Despite finding it a bit weird, Winston leaves. When Georgette takes the gang to Jenny's room, they notice Oliver happily sleeping his pillow. Rita becomes the first one convinced he's okay and proposes they "forget the whole thing" but Georgette, eager to get rid of him, convinces them that "he's so traumatized" and when Winston's voice is heard again, she hands him to them in a pillow sack held by Einstein and Francis and allows them to flee through the fire escape. Back at the barge and after Oliver's "rescue", it turns out that he wanted to stay with Jenny. After an unpleasant conversation with Dodger, Rita and the rest of the gang are sad to see their friend go and Oliver, full of sadness and sorrow, leaves until a depressed Fagin returns and takes Oliver back in. When Fagin notices Oliver's new golden collar and the address inscribed on it, Fagin suddenly comes up with an idea of ransoming him, which just might help him with his current problem since all his other previous attempts have failed. At night, after Fagin, Oliver, and Dodger's unpleasant rendez-vouz with Sykes and his dogs, Rita and the others wait with Fagin and Oliver, in his pocket, for their rendez-vous with Oliver's unknown wealthy cat owner (Jenny). Rita seems worried about Dodger when she notices him limping a little as he joins up with the gang but, he assures her that "they never laid a paw on me." When Jenny with Georgette arrives, she and Fagin talk. After Fagin and Jenny have a small conversation with Sykes and his dogs unknowingly watching them in his car from a distance, Jenny turns out to be Oliver's owner with only a piggy bank as payment to get him back and starts crying when she gets scared and doesn't know what to do. Fagin, at first, has a hard decision about whether to follow his good heart or not and feels guilty to see Jenny and Oliver sad. Finally, Fagin gives up the ransom, pretends to find Oliver in a box, and hands him to Jenny. Unfortunately, Sykes bursts into the scene, kidnaps Jenny, throws Oliver out of the window, and tells Fagin to keep his mouth shut and to consider their account closed. Then, Dodger, Rita, and the gang come to Oliver's aid. Dodger assures and promises Oliver that they'll "absitively" get Jenny back. Oliver and the dogs run to Sykes' warehouse without riding in Fagin's scooter this time. After an inspection of the warehouse has been made by Francis and Tito, it turns out everything appears to be locked up so now, Dodger comes up with a plan on how to get inside. As the plan is set with Francis as the first "cannonball," Oliver as the second "cannonball," and Tito as the "maestro," Rita and the gang call for Francis to see if he's ready and he is, thus, jumping on the seesaw and launching Oliver up through a window and inside. After Oliver opens a hatch from the inside while avoiding Roscoe and DeSoto, Einstein and the gang enter inside. The gang do everything they can to avoid Roscoe and DeSoto, who were alerted by a noise when Oliver entered the place, and security cameras. When Georgette foolishly screams because of a broken nail, the two evil dogs are alerted again. When a security camera turns to their direction, Tito takes care of it as told by Dodger even if it means undergoing electrocution again. From the top of Sykes' office, Oliver and the dogs observe Sykes talking on the phone to Winston about Jenny's ransom and Jenny's okay but tied up. Dodger comes up with a plan on how to distract Sykes and help Jenny. The Dobermans are later alerted by their enemies' smell. Tito, Francis, and Einstein distract Sykes by posing as a Pizza delivery guy and luring him away while Oliver and the rest of the dogs enter and try to rescue Jenny. Oliver and Jenny are happily reunited. After the gang distract Sykes and take care of Roscoe and DeSoto, with Georgette's help, they return to join their friends in Sykes' office while locking the door. Chewing the ropes off Jenny fails and their enemies return until Dodger notices a crane on top, therefore, another idea comes to his head again involving Tito with electronics despite having been electrocuted too many times. At first, Tito seems reluctant but, with a little love persuasion from Georgette, he's cooperative. They manage to escape with Jenny before Sykes and his dogs break down the locked door in pieces. Things go well until Sykes destroys the crane controls with a fire ax; causing everyone to fall and land on a long slide. They slide until they reach the end where, unfortunately, their enemies have them cornered. When all seems lost and before Sykes can snap his fingers to order his dogs to attack, they hear a honking noise, and breaking in through the window, it turns out to be Fagin with his scooter. Rita and everyone else jump in and drive away as fast as they can. They seem to be able to outrun the two evil dogs chasing them on foot until Sykes manages to catch up with them in his Cadillac. Having no other alternative, Fagin drives his friends into a subway station but Sykes, driving like a madman, is able to drive in as well. Fagin then drives them through a tunnel with Sykes still in pursuit. When Sykes' car collides with Fagin's scooter, Jenny falls and ends up on Sykes' hood. Rita and the rest of the dogs bark and growl at their enemies, while Oliver helps Jenny, later Dodger, and Dodger helps Oliver; killing Roscoe and DeSoto in the process. On the Brooklyn Bridge, when Jenny calls for Fagin's help, Fagin, with Einstein's help, comes to help her while Tito takes command of his scooter; despite Georgette gripping onto him in fear for a while. Sykes manages to grab Jenny's leg and pull her back in until Oliver and Dodger jump on him and fight him off; allowing Jenny to jump to Fagin on his scooter. In front of them, a train is coming their way. Luckily, Tito is capable of saving everyone by jumping on one of the cables of the bridge and driving them to the top but Oliver and Dodger are still in the car; fighting Sykes off. Sykes throws Oliver and Dodger out of his car until he notices the train heading his way and the train kills him, thus, sending him and his car into the Hudson River. When the rest of the company drive back down, Jenny runs to search for Oliver, only to find a Dodger, with great sadness, approaching and holding him, thinking he's dead. But when a small meow comes out of Oliver, everyone including Dodger is glad to know this means he's still alive, except Georgette, who is still in great shock from the chase. Then, Dodger, Rita, and the rest of the gang are accepted as Jenny's new best friends. The next day, at Jenny's home, Oliver and his friends are celebrating Jenny's 8th birthday and giving her birthday gifts. When it's time to go, the gang (except Tito) say their good-byes to Oliver and vice versa. Rita joins her friends in singing a reprise of "Why Should I Worry". Finally, they join Fagin on his scooter and drive back home while still singing. ''House of Mouse In House of Mouse, she can only be seen along with some of the dog-gang members and Oliver in the intro. Gallery For more images, click here. Trivia * Some people think Rita is an Afghan Hound when in fact, she's actually a Saluki. * Although she has no apparent attraction to Sykes, Rita is perhaps the closest counterpart to Nancy, the prositute who befriends the titular hero in Oliver Twist, the Dickens novel that inspired the animated film. Unlike Nancy however, Rita survives. * Although Ruth Pointer provided her singing voice in "Streets of Gold," she didn't reprise the role during the "Why Should I Worry" reprise at the end of the movie. *Despite Tito being the only dog to continuously call Francis; "Frank" or "Frankie," Rita and Einstein were first heard calling him Frankie once when they were disappointed to find out that he forgot it was his turn to get the food for them the day Dodger met Oliver. *Whitney Houston was considered for the role of Rita. Category:Characters Category:Disney characters Category:Oliver & Company characters Category:Dogs Category:Adults